AK'ABAH, GULF OF, the Sinus fElaniticus of antiquity; the eastern of the two divisions of the n. end of the Red sea, running into Arabia Petrma about 100 in. n.n e., with a width of 12 to 17 m. Navigation is difficult on account of reefs and sudden squalls. The only good harbor is Golden Port, on the w. shore, 38 m. from the entrance and 29 m. e. of Mt. Sinai.
ArBAR (i.e., "very great "), properly JELAL-ED-DIN-MOJIAMITED, emperor of Hindostan, the greatest Asiatic monarch of modern times. His father, Humayun, was deprived of the throne by usurpers, and had to retire for -refuge into Persia; and it was on the way thither, in the town of Amerkote, that A. was b., in 1542 A.D. Humayun recovered the throne of Delhi after an exile of 12 years; but d. within a year. The young prince at first committed the administration to a regent-minister; but finding his authority degenerating into tyranny, he, by a bold stroke, shook it off, and took the power into his own hands (1558). At this time, only a few of the many provinces once subdued by the Mongol invaders were actually subject to the throne of Delhi; in 10 or 12 years, A.'s empire embraced the whole of Hindostan s. of the Deccan; but although great in subduing, A. was yet greater in ruling. The wisdom, vigor, and humanity with which lie organized and administered his vast dominions, are unexampled in the e. He promoted commerce by constructing roads, establishing a uniform system of weights and measures, and a vigorous police. He exercised the utmost vigilance over his viceroys of provinces and other officers, to see that no extortion was practiced, and that justice was impartially administered to all classes of his subjects. For the adjustment of taxation,
the lands were accurately measured, and the statistics taken, not only of the pop., but of the resources of each province. For a Mohammedan, the tolerance with which he treated other religions was wonderful. He was fond of inquiries as to religious beliefs; and Portuguese missionaries from Goa were sent at his request to give him an account of the Christian faith. He even attempted to promulgate a new religion of his own, which, however, never took root. Literature received the greatest encouragement. schools were established for the education both of Hindoos and Mohammedans; and numbers of Ilindoo works were translated from Sanscrit into Persian. Abn-l-Fazl, the able minister of A., has left a valuable history of his master's reign, entitled A.-namelt (history of A.); the third volume, containing a description of A.'s empire, derived from the statistical inquiries above mentioned, and entitled Ayin-i-Akbari (institutes of A.), has been translated into English by Gladwin (3 vols.. Calcutta, 1786; and London, 1800). A.'s latte days were embittered by 'the death of two of his sons from dissipation, and the rebellious conduct of the third, Selim (known as Jehanghir), who succeeded his father at his death in 1605.